Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National University

Thai, with over 60 million speakers, is the national language of Thailand and has a literary heritage extending back some 700 years. Lao is closely related; with about 20 million speakers, it is spoken both in Laos and in Northeastern Thailand. The languages use similar alphabetic writing systems.

The aim of the Thai and Lao Programs is to bring students to a high level of competence in spoken and written language, thus enabling them to come into direct contact with the cultural traditions of their region of specialisation, to experience the lifestyles, values and thought of peoples through their own expressions of them, and to recognise in the present both continuities and discontinuities with the past.

The Southeast Asia Centre is conscious of a dual role, that is to provide students with competencies in contemporary language, as well as making available older languages of the region and traditional texts. When staffing permits, regional languages are also offered. Degree programs

The Southeast Asia Centre in the Faculty of Asian Studies offers the three-year Bachelor of Asian Studies degree and a specialist four-year degree, Bachelor of Asian Studies (Thai and Lao) which includes the Year in Asia program. Qualified students may switch between the three-year and the four-year degree, normally after the first two years, which are academically the same.

In year three, Bachelor of Asian Studies students complete their degree, while the Bachelor of Asian Studies (Specialist) students spend the year in universities or equivalent institutions in Thailand doing advanced language work and studying in their field of specialisation (under the Year-in-Asia program). Year four of the Bachelor of Asian Studies (Specialist) is spent back at the ANU taking advanced units in disciplinary, language and area studies.

The three and four year degrees in Asian Studies may be combined with degrees in arts, commerce, economics, engineering, law, science and visual arts.

The Southeast Asia Centre courses are open to students taking Asian Studies degrees as well as to students enrolled in other Faculties.

Language and Thai-related courses

The first-year Thai language course is designed to give the student rapid competence in spoken Thai. The second and third-year courses aim to develop and enhance the students’ sophistication in the usage of the language. The third-year tuition program emphasises the exchange of ideas in the language as well as more diversified skills in translation. At all levels language is taught in its cultural context and in its contemporary mode.

The 48 unit major sequence both develops conversational fluency and leads to proficiency in written forms of Thai. A single course in Lao is available to students with intermediate proficiency in Thai. Asian Studies degree students are free to complement a Thai language sequence with courses relating to both South and Southeast Asia.

Students enrolled in the four-year Bachelor of Asian Studies (Thai) degree normally spend their third year on Year-in-Thailand program, at an approved Thai university or equivalent institution. The students study a combination of intensive Thai language, approved Thai University courses in language/literature and a discipline, together with preparation for a study project to be completed back at the ANU in their fourth year.

The Undergraduate Handbook provides a comprehensive list of courses offered by the Faculty of Asian Studies.

Other Thai-related courses

The Centre for Asian Societies and Histories in the Faculty teaches non-language courses in Asian history, religion and society. Courses in Asian politics, economics and law are available in other Faculties.

Graduate studies in Thai

Thai studies may be undertaken for the Graduate Diploma, Master of Asian Studies, Master of Arts (Asian Studies), the MPhil and PhD.

The Faculty of Asian Studies offers two graduate programs: Graduate Studies in East Asia and Graduate Studies in Southeast and South Asia. Please refer to the Faculty's Graduate Programs page for more information about the specialised graduate programs in Asian Studies.

Graduate programs at the ANU are administered by the Graduate School.